Control mechanism for pneumatically operated railway dump cars



Aug. 4, 1953 Filed Feb. 21. 1949 E. o. LUNDE 2,647,471. CONTROL MECHANISM FOR PNEUMATICALLY v OPERATED RAILWAY DUMP CARS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 yzzwvae 1953 E. o. LUNDE 2,647,471

CONTROL MECHANISM FOR PNEUMATICALLY OPERATED RAILWAY DUMP CARS Filed Feb. 21, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 li !i 6r 1 6%.

8 1953 E. o. LUNDE 2,647,471

CONTROL MECHANISM FOR PNEUMATICALLY OPERATED RAILWAY DUMP CARS Filed Feb. 21. 1949 4 Sheet Sheet 3 1953 E. o. LUNDE 2,647,471

CONTROL MECHANISM FOR PNEUMATICALLY OPERATED RAILWAY DUMP CARS fin avid): 1222a) aid/70 6 WQZ acM.

Wfozwy Patented Aug. 4, 1953 ES PA oonrnor. MECHANISM Fon PNEUMATICAL- LY orcm'rnn RAILWAY DUMP CARS Einar 0. Lunde, Wyckoif, Nd. J., assignor to Magor Car Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application February 21, 1949, Serial No. 77,655 j This invention relates to control mechanism for pneumatically operated dump cars.

The invention is especially concerned with dump cars having their bodies mounted on the car frames for selective dumpingofthe bodies to one sideorthe other of the cars. Such cars are provided with one or more pneumatic cylindersand cooperating pistons on each side thereof, and the present invention is more particularly concerned with mechanism for controlling the flow of air to the cylinders at one or the other side of the cars for dumping thereof in a direction away from the air charged cylinders.

A primary object of the invention is the provision of control mechanism in a pneumatically operated railway dump car provided with an operating air line adapted for controlfrom a locomotive, an air supply reservoir in communication with an air charging line and a dump cylinder at each sideof the'car; which mechanism includes an adjustable directional valve for selectivelydirecting air to the cylinder atone side or the other of the car, and a valve operative byair pressure in the operating line for causing flow of air from the reservoir through the directional valve and thence into the particular cylinder as determined by adjustment of the directional valve, together with manually operable mechanism supported by the car for adjusting the directional valve. K

A further object. of the invention is the provision .in a structure of the character above referred to, of a manually operable valve disposed on the car, and which valve is operative to provide air pressure in the operating line for effecting operation of the pressure operative valve forflow. of air into the selected cylinder in the manner above referred to.

A still further object of the invention is the provision in a pneumatically operated dump car of the character referred to, of an adjustable directional valve for' providing flow of air to a cylinder at one side or the otherside of a car,

anda manually operable valve for causing flow of air through the directional valve, together with manually operable mechanismfor adjusting the'directional valve and operating the manually operable valve in succession.

Astill further object of the invention is the provision of means in the above referredto man-' ually operable mechanism for precluding opera-' tion of the manually operable valve until th directional valve has been adjusted.

A further object of the invention is the provisionof safety devices for precluding operation 4 Claims. (01. 105-271) of the control mechanism car when same has been operated site side thereof. a

o Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentin the course ofthe following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic planview disclosing 3 control means. i a Fig..2 is a broken top plan control mechanism.

the general arrangement of the air supply and Fig. 3 is a broken vertical sectional view showingthe manual operating valve control rods and Fig. 4 is a side elevational view ture of Fig. 2.

Fig; 5 is an enlarged transverse sectional view" inthe plane of line 55 on Fig. 2. i

Fig. 6 is anenlarged transverse sectional view in the plane of line 6-6 on Fig. 2. i Fig. 7 is an enlarged transverse sectional view in the plane of line 1-? on Fig. 2. I Fig. 8 is avertical sectional view of the ual operating valve.

Fig. 9 is a bottom plan view of the valve shown in Fig. 8.

Fig.1 10 is a horizontal sectional view of the valve in the plane of line l0l0 on Fig.8.

Fig. 11 isa vertical sectional view of a modiof the valve shown in Figs. 8, 9

fied embodiment and: 10. l

Fig. 12 is afragmentary. transverse sectional view of a railway dump car to which the presentinvention is applied.

The mechanism according to the present inventionis for use with railwaytdump cars which are adapted to be dumped toward either side thereof, and such dump cars are preferably provided with a pair of pneumatic cylinders ill on one side and a like pair of cylinders II on the opposite side. A dumpcar with which the present improved operating mechanism is used is illustrated fragmentally in Fig. 12 and wherein one of the cylinders is shown piston P and piston rod R.

Dump cars of the character under considera tion comprise bolsters B from which are supj ported trunnions T which pivotally supportthe car body 0 adjacent each 'side thereof with provision for eitherside being raised asis indicated. atone side in Fig. 12. The body is provided with releasable side doors D, one of which is shown 1 in open and dumping position in said Fig. 12. The car isshown in this figure as being dumped TENT OFFICE,

from one side of the from theoppo-- view of' the manual of the strucmani with its cooperating erating mechanism is diagrammatically illustrated in- Fig. 1,, wherein thei operating air, line; is designated at I1 2, which line: extends heneathi and throughout the length of each car of a train thereof, and which lines in a train of cars are 102: coupled at adjacent ends thereof? andiplaced in communication with a control v mm; ta 1cm motive which pulls the train of'cars.

A charging line I3 is also providndzfioncl argg, ing the air reservoir I4 supponte'd beneath each car, this charging line being adapted for connection with the locomotive air supply. and the chargin line communicates with the reservoir by means of a line I5 which is preferably p-ro vided with a check valve I5, and a dirt collector I1.

I A branch nine ch ir ine-f 18: xt n si romrltn i line; 5 o an; utomatic; nerat na valve-= is: and a manual control valve 2!] whereby -theiresfirvcirq- I443, automatickvalve I aand; manuall cont-role: valve miai a ntcommunicaticmt Another; lffin hl n ne" ine 2:111 connectsi the manual COI'ltrIlOigVfllVB a it'h th iopreratingtlinei 1 5-; which is; a QqoI flfliifidi w the automatic nen tingvvalve 119s. throu h. the ipe 22.

In controlling the car dumping operationifrom; 3'0 the lqcomotive, the; oont-rqlivaelviei .imtheslcicombtive is operated so as to admitairypressure til-the operating; line; b2501 the, cars. This), air: pressure in the; line; I2;- QaUSBSiZ than. automatic; operating; valve I9 to function in a mannen'suchlasitn'admitg from thefresenvqin Idl tma directional valve 23 through the branch pipe I8, a piped} andzat branchrpipezzfi, extending;directlyrfrom the; automatic operating valveilQiLtoitheldirectiOnal valve 23; Theiautomatici operating, valve; is disclosed 4 I in my co-pending; applicatiomSerial Nos. 10394576, filed Julyr 7;, 194g;

The directionaL valve zi isrdisclosediini detail; in myy, (impending; application; senialrNo". 82310, filed March 22, 1949, and saidevalveiisioperativa to, -;direct the flowrotsair throughipipe'sz' i toz t'lie cylinders II] or through pipe 21 to the cylinders I {I i, The: directional}. valve iss manually controllable 3by means of" an operating-1. rod: 28 having one kendi thereof operativelyi connected: tor-the wi l? agiatizlliandzitsi opposite endipivotally 'coninected to one arm of a bell crank lever wattle oi klfinzarm ofetherleverqbeingipivotally connected toranaoperatingmod 3d whichiextendsttransverse ly of the rod 28 and which issdisposed ladjacenn nriendrofr theicarg,

when controlling the;dumpingioperatiomiromx h eatheimanualicontrol valuetzn isi w ehe lqcomotive; themanuallcomc trolyalye 2-Il o an gone of the carslisiutilizedatoii dumpfiposition indicatediin Fig. 11;, thmmanual cotltm eiset-soeaataper-micthe; flQW V 1 blanfihkp nellhthrougmizh z 2 aint hao eratin linemc "jectingithrougheasrecessid5 in a framememb'e position to their normal position, the air pres- 'sure in the operating line I2 must be exhausted to the atmosphere. It the controlling of the dumping operation has been effected from the locomotive, the exhausting of the operating line I2 is done by means of the control valve on the ve m tivet Iflomth'e othenhand, the-control ofithe' dumping operation has been effected by use of the manual control valve 20, the operating line I2 is exhauslied to, the atmosphere by setting the opeintingiroxi$2ior'tlie companion operating rod 33 in the exh'aust position as indicated in Fig. H 1 W emtheoperating line has been exhausted, tl'ltOIlBIftfiHg 1 01133 2501 33 is then placed in neutrail position; I

'llhe actioni which follows the exhausting of air from the operating line I2 takes place first insthelautbmatic valve l9 through exhaust pipe 34. This valve is caused to function in such mannemas w huts 1-; urthelr flown" of; air: from the reservoir- I 4, and, connectsthes pipe; 25; tog theii atmo nhere mexhaust h F IOm2t' Qa-QYJ- inders I I;I H

hwha hfl' hen heimanua ontrolvva verump-throughput directional-valve 2 3:

The operatingrod 34 the r bel-l cranleilever aflii and-the rod:zlhcontrol the-goperationyof the direct tional valve; 25y while the manualioontroh valyn r; we s: actuated: meansx fithei rotaticmon h fiifii i ll r The; operating rodsdigl BIL-and flfiva resdisposedl; nea h ait i n verse can: flfimefi'memherif. shownci in; dot and dashilines and: 4% ands. shownzinse ion iniliigs; I I i areprcierablywsuppo e adiaoehtitheiri"opposites endsin brackets: 3 5n ndc 3Gisecuredstossaidzframeit mem andlth'e lrodifid isiprolvided withroperatiinghan 113533 1 at its-opposite endstwliilerrolls I and5'33 ar respectively-providedwithnperati-ng;

- Salami-33:;

nah control rodsinciand s n arezipros mintegral fia gear: Mandi whicm 1 betwefi paa1 rs ;.ofi:spaZoecl flanges'tzeo rationale valvercontrolrod 31 anmgdudrtoz. this interlocking of the rods withirespectrztortheim lengthwise movement:amcaxialImotiomotirod 34 is vtr nsmaitted idirect'l-y to, th'aioperating :rodsztfli a'guiderbrack etz d'azhavingsarl'iub p'ortionMZFpro and' twwhich the bramket is rigidly securedi T e bracket is provided witii a' slotfit openinginto arf" aperture Wfithrouglfi whiclnthe rod Si "lQDselyfeX-i'e tends '3 and the rod is; provided with, a pair;- of? stops; ts? and AQQdis osedim Qp sitlsidislofiitheel bracket"andjadapted'jtblpfiss th'rouglimlie slot' ,7 upon; rotation 'ofj-ttie-rod ltd align thew-stops with the 'slot.

Thus it ewill'tbfiis'eenht iatliiniordert tosmovez thew rodlfl} Q from, the; neutralfltoiithei dump; positiom-z-, it is necessary to rotate the rodr' slightly sorthatsz one, or;the, I othert ofL,; the stops-108,1 4-9-1maygpass through,thefslotgllag, 'Ifhetdirectional valvearoda 3| is alsp profvidediwith ,aipai-rgot coilaspringsififlsI and .5'l tdisposed between rigid;flanges fibonathee rod and the opposite vendsi oi ai-sleevei53r sl-idalel yg supported on thQMIfQGlfflHdWhiQh-e sleeve -ist-jprofv. videdtvvita oppgsedsstudss Mqenease i n er apertures in the adjacent arm of the bell crank lever30f: l

, These springs act totake up any lost motion in the actuatin mechanism for the. directional valve 23, andthus insure a proper setting of this valve, and the sleeve 53permitsrotation of the rod3 l independently of the lever 30.

The manual control rod 32 is provided with a pair of diametrically opposed keys 55 and 56, and the companion rod 33 is :provided with similar keys l'and'5B.

,i .As is more clearly shown in Fig. 5, the bracket 36 which is equally true of bracket 35 is provided with a plate 59 and an aperture 60 of substane tially greater diameter than the rod,which is provided. in bracket 36 and plate 59 and through whioh theirod 'extends and which rod normally rests on the lower edge of the aperture as in Fig. 5. i

1 The bracket and plate are also provided with a slot 61 opening into aperture 60, and disposed belowsameanddiametrically thereof. The key 5a normallyi seats in slot 6| while key 51 rests inaperture 66. i While asbeforestated, therods 32 and 33 must be rotatedto actuate valve 20, they cannot be rotated when in their neutral position due to seating of the keys 58 in the slots BI, and the keys 58 cannot be lifted from the slots while the keys 5'! are in the apertures. Thus in order to actuate either red 32 or 33 it must be moved axiallyuntil either key 55 or '51 is moved out of the aperture 60 after which therod may be lifted to raise key 56 or key 58 out of the slot whereby therod is free to rotate andactuate the valve 20. When either of the rods 32 or 33 have been moved axially and rotated, the other rod will be moved axially alsobut its keys willremain, in aperture 66 whereby the other rod cannot be rotated. A sleeve .62 receives the adjacent ends of rods 32 and 33 for free relative rotation of the rods while providing for axial movement of one rod ,as effected by like movement of the other rod. The sleeve 62 is supported by a plate 63 extendingjupwardly from a bracket 64 (Fig. '7), which supports the valve 2|].

The manual operating valve 20 is provided with an operating lever 65 whose free end normally extends between the spaced adjacent ends of lever operating members 66, each havin spaced parallel portions 61 and an arched end portion 68 suitably secured to the respective rod. The portions 61' are engageable with the lever 65 for operatingthe' valve 20.

It isto be noted that rotation of either of the rods 32 or 33 in their normal axial positions as shown in Fig. 2 will not operate the valve 20 for the reason that the operating portions 61 upon rotation of either rod would pass by the valve operating arm 65 without imparting operating movement thereto.

This is a safety feature in the control mechanism wherein the directional valve 23 must be set for dumping of the cars to one side or the other, and accordingly when rod 3| is moved axially to set valve 23, the valve arm operating levers 66 will be moved through the flanges 40, 4| and 42 such that the portions 61 will engage the arm upon rotation of rod 32 or rod 33 as the case may be. v

Furthermore, this axial shifting of rods 32 and 33 will move key 55 or key 51 out of aperture 60 whereby the rod 32 or rod 33 may be rotated for operating the valve 20. At this point it is to be noted that the rod 3| is adapted to be pushed 61 toward the center of the car from either side thereof and such operation effects setting of valve 23 for dumping of the car to. the side toward which the rod is pushed.

A preferred form of manual control valve 2|! is illustrated in Figs. 8, 9 and 10, and in which figures the valve is shown in neutral position as when the cars are in transit. This valve would appear to be more clearly described in connection with its operation and scribed a follows: i

In order to dump the cars the valve actuating lever or arm '65 is lifted from its full line neutral position to the dump position indicated in dot and dash lines. Upon initial upward pressure on the lever, the exhaust valve Ill remains on its seat H and the pin 12 at the top of the exhaust valve stem I3 acts as a fulcrum for the lever 65. Lifting of the lever 65 will then cause the leakoff valve 14 to move to its seat 15 on the inlet valve 16, and then the continued movement of the valve rod 11 will fully open the inlet valve 16. The valve chamber 18 is in communication with the air line [8. The opening of the inlet valve 16, therefore, will permit the flow of air from the reservoir l4 into the passage 19 and thus to the underside of the check valve 80.

The air pressure will efiect opening of the valve and the air will then flow through the ports 8| in the check valve guide 82 and into the valve chamber 83 which is in communication with the air line 2|. This will carry the air into the operating line l2 andwill thus energize the automatic operating valve l9.

When theair pressure in valve chamber 83 reaches a'point where it is approximately equal to the pressure in passage 19, the check valve 80 will automatically seat itself. This action will seal valve chamber 83 from passage 19 and will permit the exhaust valve 10 to controlthe exhausting of air fromthe operating line [2. In order to return the cars from the dump position to a normal position, the valve armor lever 65 must be depressed to the exhaust position as indicated by -dot and dash lines in Fig. 8, and this action of the lever will result in the following actions: i

First, the exhaust valve 70 will remain on its seat H and the pin 12 will act as a fulcrum] for the lever 65. The downward movement of the leveriwill first cause the leak-01f valve 14 to leave its seat 15. The leak-01f valve will move until the-cap 84 at the top of the leak-01f valve stem 11 comes into contact with the top of the inlet valve stem 85, and thus cause the inlet valve to close. 6

Thi action will permit any air in passage 19 to exhaust to the atmosphere through the leakoff valve 14 and the open ports intermediate the guide lugs 11 at the top of inlet valve stem 85.

When the inlet valve 16 is seated, the pin 86 at the top of cap 84 becomes the fulcrum for the lever 65 and the continued downward movement of the lever will cause the exhaust valve 10 to open.

This action will permit the air in the operating line I2 to escape through the valve chamber 83, past the open exhaust valve 10 and to the atmosphere from the exhaust port 81. After the air pressure in the operating line l2 has thus been exhausted, the lever 65 is placed in its neutral position shown in full lines in Fig. 8.

With the various parts in the neutral position, it will be noted that the check valve 80 will seal the pressure in the operating line valve chamber is accordingly de- 7 

